Set Yourself on Fire - The Outtakes
by TrulyScrumptious103
Summary: Chapters of the story that are rated MATURE for a reason. The chapters correspond to Set Yourself on Fire. Please don't read if you're under 18.
1. The Beginning After The End

Rory woke up the next morning with a smile on her face. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so excited to meet the day ahead of her. Still in her pajamas, she slipped into the kitchen and started the coffee maker. After a couple of minutes of enjoying the solitude, Luke came out of her spare bedroom fully dressed. They acknowledged each other in silence as Luke reached for a coffee mug.

"Pancakes?" Luke asked her for her breakfast preference. Although Luke had made Rory breakfast countless times over the years, there was something much more intimate about making breakfast in the apartment of his soon-to-be step-daughter. The feeling was noticed by both.

"Yes, please," Rory responded enthusiastically. Already familiar with her kitchen, Luke started to work making breakfast for his family while Rory went back into her room to get ready for the day.

Luke and Lorelai needed to get back to Stars Hollow by noon, so after breakfast, they gathered their belongings and headed home. Rory dressed in workout clothes and headed to the gym. It was a habit she picked up on the road. It helped to clear her head and after seeing Logan last night and their impending date tonight, she needed a clear head. After finishing her workout, making a light lunch, and showering, Rory lost herself into the world of Emily Bronte. When she looked at the clock, it was 6:30. She needed to start getting ready.

Rory selected a black Nicole Miller cocktail dress and a pair designer plum suede pumps. She blew out her hair and applied subtle yet sophisticated makeup. She was just putting on her earrings when the buzzer to her apartment announced his arrival. She quickly buzzed him in and unlocked the door while she went to grab her clutch. He was just walking in the door as she emerged from her bedroom. "Woah," he exclaimed, taking in her appearance. She had always been beautiful, but now, her look held a polish that she hadn't fully developed when they were together.

Rory chuckled at his expression. "Is that a good woah or a bad woah," she inquired.

"Definitely a good woah, Ace."

She took in his appearance. His suit looked like it was made for him and knowing his tastes, it probably had been. He had forgone a tie, instead leaving his collar open. "You don't look so bad, yourself," she remarked. Logan helped her into her coat and led her to the town car that was waiting outside. They talked about nothing of consequence on the way to the restaurant and were seated as soon as they walked in the door.

After taking their coats, the maître-de led them to a round booth in the back of the restaurant. The scooted close to each other and looked over the wine list.

"Do you have a preference," he asked her.

"Something red," she replied.

Logan ordered a bottle of 2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon and toasted her after their glasses were filled. They both ordered their entrees and shared an awkward silence before she cut to the chase.

"How is this going to work, Logan? Are we going to talk about the not so happy past or just gloss over it?"

Logan laughed at her candidness. "That's one way to kill the elephant sitting in the room."

He took a drink of his wine and his expression turned serious. He knew what he had to say, but he couldn't bring himself to look at her when he said it. Instead, he stared into his wine glass. "It hurt like hell when you said no," he said, his voice low. "But now, I think I understand why you did it. I can go through the list of the ways we both messed up, but that seems counter-productive when we have just one evening to enjoy each other's company."

"So, are we agreeing to let the past stay in the past," she asked. "At least for now."

"I am if you are," he said, looking into her eyes.

Rory took a sip of wine before she responded. "So tell me about your business partners," she said, silently agreeing to their pact.

Their dinner was delicious and they fell into an easy conversation, shifting closer to each other as the evening wore on like two magnets being drawn together. Between the salad and main course, Logan found his hand on her knee. By the time dessert came, he was nuzzling her neck, setting both of their bodies on fire. As she sipped the last of her coffee, she had to rub her legs together so that she would remember how to behave in public.

Sensing her arousal and trying to control his own, Logan asked for the check and after paying, he looked in her eyes. They were dark and full of lust, most likely mirroring his own. "Ace," he said to her. "Let's get out of here."

Rory realized that she was grateful that their attraction was obviously as strong as ever. The car was waiting for them when they went outside and Logan told the driver to take them to the Tribeca Grand Hotel. They rode there in silence too afraid that one innocent touch, look, or playful comment would open the floodgates.

As soon as they were in the safety of the elevator, he backed her against the wall and kissed her, tenderly but deliberately. He allowed his hands to roam over her dress, re-familiarizing himself with her curves.

The elevator dinged, signaling that they had reached his floor. Reluctantly, they broke apart. Logan grabbed Rory's hand and led her out of the small silver car and down the hallway to room 1531. He swiped his keycard and allowed her entrance before shutting the door behind them and resuming their passionate kiss.

When they broke apart for air, Logan leaned his forehead against hers and sighed. "Rory, I've been dreaming about this for so long. It almost seems like this is just a fantasy."

She looked into his eyes and said the first thing that popped into her mind. "I'm here, Logan. What are you going to do with me?"

With a growl, Logan attacked her lips again and led her to the king sized bed leaving a trail of garments in their wake. He carefully laid her on the bed and crawled up beside her, tenderly touching her everywhere his hands could go.

Breaking apart, she asked for the bathroom. He led her to the room's en suite. Rory shut the door and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her skin was flushed and her lips were swollen. Logan had a way of making her feel adored, and it was clear that their separation hadn't changed that. As she slipped out of her dress, she made sure she was ready for what was about to transpire. She had never stopped loving Logan and even if he didn't feel the same way about her anymore, she wanted one last night of passion to remember. She was definitely ready for this.

Rory carefully folded her clothes on the counter. She fluffed up her hair a bit and added a swipe of lipstick. She left on her heels, remembering that Logan always loved her legs in high heels. She adjusted the matching bra and panty set she was wearing, suddenly thankful that she had grabbed her sexy lingerie rather than the comfortable cotton boy shorts she had considered. Giving herself one last look in the mirror, Rory grabbed the robe that was hanging on the back of the door and wrapped it around her body, stepping out of the bathroom.

Logan looked up as she entered the room and his breath hitched. The last time he had been this turned on was the last time he had made love to her. Of course there had been women since, but none of them could make him ache with desire from sight alone.

He stood, rooted to the ground while she shyly made her way over to him. The adult Rory had all of the confidence in the world, but still, he could see traces of the shy girl he fell in love with so long ago. As she moved, she slowly stripped off her robe to reveal the present to him that was underneath. He groaned when he saw her plum and black lace bra and matching panties. She would be the death of him. A slow, agonizing death, but so worth it.

"Well, Mr. Huntzberger," she purred. "It appears that you have too much clothing on for the occasion."

Logan had removed his jacket and shoes, but was still fully dressed in his dress pants and oxford. Rory leaned up to capture his lips while she slowly untucked his shirt. He was still exploring the depths of her mouth when her small hands moved to the buckle of his belt and removed his pants. He helped her by toeing off his shoes and socks before gently laying her down on the king-sized bed again. His greedy hands explored her body remembering the way her breast fit in his palm, or how leaving feather light caresses on her side made her shiver. Careful not to place all of his weight on her, he moved his mouth to her jaw, then that sensitive spot just below her ear. Her body was like a map, one that he had memorized long ago. It was so familiar; he just had to remember how to read the key.

Rory shifted underneath him, pressing her pelvis against his erection, desperate for friction. He slid his mouth down between the peaks of her breasts, down the valley of her navel, to the forbidden line where he made quick work with his teeth to slide her panties down her legs. Immediately, his fingers sought out her core and circled the tight nub of pleasure, exactly where she needed it most. She writhed beneath the feeling of his hands and let a loud moan escape. Logan quickly replaced his fingers with his tongue, bringing one hand down to her wet, hot center. He placed one finger inside of her and her hips involuntarily bucked. Two fingers and she arched her back off of the bed. Three fingers and she called out his name.

His cock was so hard that he thought he might explode. He quickly removed his boxers and palmed himself, seeking even the most miniscule bit of relief. Rory noticed and looked into his eyes.

"Logan, fuck me, please."

He quickly crossed the room to his discarded pants and pulled out his wallet. The foil packet tore easily and he covered his now-throbbing member with the latex. Moving back to the bed where Rory was watching him with hooded eyes, he kissed his way back up her body. He kissed her mouth as he plunged into her tight, wet core, muffling the sounds he knew she wanted to make. He continued to make work of his tongue against her neck, jaw, ear, and mouth while they found a steady rhythm. They both knew that neither would last long, so Logan reached down to circle her clitoris and bring her the relief she was begging for. He felt her inner walls begin to clench around him and squeezed her nub one last time before she fell over the edge.

"FUCK! LOGANNNNN" she cried as stars burst behind her eyes. He always loved how she talked dirty in the throws of passion and the combination of her language and her clentching around his shaft were enough to send him over the edge too. He grunted something unintelligible as he emptied himself into her in long hot spurts.

After, they laid there basking in post-orgasmic bliss. His head was on her chest and he could hear her heart beating what seemed like a million miles a minute. Reluctantly, he rolled off of her and went to the bathroom to clean himself up. He came back to see that she had removed her shoes and crawled under the covers.

"God, Ace. That was…"

He didn't seem to have the adequate words to tell her how wonderful it felt to have her body beneath his again. He sighed and curled up behind her in bed, both still completely naked.

"I know," she whispered. "I felt it too."

They laid tangled in each other, both afraid to break the dream state they were in. He noticed goosebumps on her skin and pulled the covers around them.

"Stay with me," he begged. Rory nodded and snuggled under his arm. As he shifted them both into a comfortable position and wrapped his arms around her. He wasn't sure what he had done to have this angel in his arms again, but he was grateful.

"This would definitely qualify as a cute meet if we hadn't already met," he stated, trying to fill the silence.

"You know," she said with a smirk. "If I had known how talented you were when we first met, you wouldn't have needed to give Colin a black eye to get my attention."

"Oh, come on Ace. What would have been the fun in that? Besides, Colin needed to be knocked down a peg or two."

They continued their playful banter until they couldn't keep their eyes open any longer. Just before she drifted off, Rory pulled herself up to look into Logan's eyes.

"So, no regrets?" she asked.

"Never with you" he responded honestly as he pulled the covers up around them. He held her body close to his, refusing to let her go. The last thought he had before drifting off was that he could fall asleep like that forever.


	2. The Night Starts Here

Rory watched the pages fly off of her page–a-day calendar like leaves from a tree in fall. April went by quickly and May arrived in a whirlwind of life changes for Rory and Logan.

The New York office of Logan's company officially opened. They celebrated with a large formal party that included all of the staff and their significant others, business associates and some local press. This was the first big event they were attending as a couple and Logan was excited to show Rory off. For her part, Rory was nervous about finally meeting his business partners, Paul and Roger, the men with whom Logan considered his most trusted confidants. Truth be told, so was even more apprehensive to meet their wives, knowing that she would have to charm them even more so than their husbands. She quickly realized that her apprehension was unfounded when all four accepted her into their circle without question. To Logan's dismay, they regaled her with tales of his west coast bachelor ways and had her laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. Logan was happy to be the butt of the joke if it would make her laugh the way she was.

"So, Rory, tell us what Logan was like in college," Roger asked.

Rory smirked. Logan was standing behind her, so she turned to look up at him, trying to think of which insane story she wanted to tell. He raised his eyebrow as if to challenge her to do her worst. She smiled and animatedly turned back towards the group.

"He convinced me to go to Key West for the weekend during one particularly bad snowstorm we were having. At the time, I felt like I hadn't been warm for months, so I happily agreed." Rory had captivated her audience, and behind her, she felt Logan chuckle as he undoubtedly recalled the memory she was telling.

"Logan claims to be a master yachter, but it always seems like we get into trouble on boats. This particular boat ended up about 15 miles off the coast of Cuba with no power. We were drifting and were finally rescued by the coast guard, but they were running low on gas, and I guess they have some kind of agreement with the Cuban government that they can refuel in Havana. This apparently happens more than we know. We were both so surprised to be in Cuba, and somehow Logan charmed the coast guard officers and we ended up getting a private tour of the city before we were returned to Key West. That's not an experience most people can say they've had."

"So he really hasn't changed much, has he," Paul's wife Alison asked.

"In my defense, not once have I taken your husband to a closed communist country," Logan asked.

"Yes, Allie, we only got to the demilitarized zone, we didn't actually make it into North Korea," Paul clarified.

"It wasn't for lack of trying, though," Roger added.

The group laughed at his clarification and it led to a conversation about the most exotic places they had been. Rory leaned back so that her back aligned with Logan's front. He put his arm around her and they both stood together, appreciating the ease they felt with his friends.

Rory was a little drunk on good champagne and Logan's success. It wasn't noticeable to others, but Logan could tell that her nose was a little pinker, her eyes were a little glassy, and her smile was bigger than normal. He stood at the bar, watching her interact with their public relations team, feeling proud for the umpteenth time that night that she would be going home with him.

"She's lovely." Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed Abigail, Roger's wife standing next to him. He turned in her direction.

"Now we know why you never dated" she said, smiling at him.

"Yes, it wasn't because I was gay. Sorry you lost that bet though," Logan replied with a smile. Abigail blushed, knowing that the silly bet she and Allie had made about the absence of women in Logan's life had been uncovered.

"Logan, we've worried about you. You've worked yourself to the bone trying to get this company off the ground, and you've taken it farther than any of us could have imagined. Your dedication to my husband is beyond any business partnership I've ever seen. But we could tell something was missing. I'm so happy to see that she's returned."

Logan took a sip of his drink allowing her words to sink in. Logan had never been one to cultivate friendships with women, but as his partnership with Roger and Paul grew, they became his family. It meant that Allie and Abigail fussed over him like mother hens sometimes, but they were steadfast and loyal in their friendship with him, and he appreciated it more than she would know.

"We just bought a house," he told her. "We're settling at the end of this month."

"I expect to be invited over for cocktails as soon as you're settled. She's losing her buzz, you should take her some more champagne. And watch Ted from marketing. He tends to get a little handsy as the night wears on," she warned.

"Thanks, Abby," he said, kissing her on the cheek and setting off to replenish Rory's drink.

By the time the party had wrapped up and they were in a car taking them back to Rory's apartment, she was feeling very good, and could barely keep her hands off of him. She was so turned on with the way that Logan commanded respect from his employees, but still genuinely cared about them and their well-being. She had noticed that he knew the names and details of each person's significant other, even if tonight was their first introduction. He led her around the room, his hand on the small of her back, and made each person there feel as if they were the only person he had wanted to see. He had always been a charmer, but now, she could see that his uncanny nack for remembering small details was part of what made him so successful.

In the car, she kept running her hands over his chest, inside of his jacket. The warmth that was radiating from his body made her want to explore even further. Whenever she was bordering on inappropriate, he stopped her, and pacified her with a chaste kiss to the forehead or cheek. Of course he was not unaffected. A gorgeous woman in a slinky black dress was throwing herself at him, but he knew that if he let her get her drunken way, he would never be able to use this driver again, and he had developed a great rapport with him. Logan was grateful when they finally pulled up to the building. He quickly said goodnight to the driver and helped a stumbling Rory out of the car.

In the elevator, her efforts doubled and he found himself cursing the slow car. Knowing there was a security camera, he wouldn't let her at her goal until they were in the safety of her apartment.

Finally, they arrived on her floor and he quickly disengaged the lock to her door. As soon as they were in the confines of her apartment, he backed her up against the wall and kissed her deeply. Her dress had a vintage, 1920's look to it and he loved the way the silk felt in his hands. Being sure that she was pinned between his body and the wall, he grabbed her leg and hitched it over his hip, grinding his already hard cock into her hot core. She moaned at the feeling and attacked his lips, pushing her chest into his, allowing him access. He pushed down the straps of her dress and it pooled at her feet on the floor. Taking a step back, he noticed that she was wearing nothing black lace, with a garter belt holding up her black silk stockings. He groaned, remembering once that he told her of his garter belt fantasy. Needing relief, he palmed his cock and watched the goddess standing in front of him, as she shyly made her way to the bedroom, beckoning him to follow her by playfully grabbing his tie and leading him there.

By the time they made it to the bedroom, he could no longer tolerate how aroused he was. The sexy sway of her hips, the way her ass looked in her sexy cheeky underwear…He picked her up and threw her down on the bed, quickly discarding his own clothing. Pushing her panties aside, he plunged into her, unable to contain himself anymore. She screamed out his name as she felt him hitting the back of her.

He pounded into her and she saw stars in the back of her eyes. "Fuck, Logan. Harder! Faster!" she demanded. He was only too willing to oblige. He could tell that she was close and he felt the familiar coil in his abdomen, so he reached down and pinched her clit. She screamed out as she fell over the cliff and with her walls clenching around him, he flowed her.

Coming down from a spectacular orgasm, he fell down next to her while he was catching his breath. She kicked off her shoes and crawled under the covers. Following suit, Logan curled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her pulling her close.

Logan woke up with the sun, as was his custom. Rory was still soundly asleep and he took the chance to look at her. She hadn't washed off her makeup the night before, so it was smudged under her eyes, but it made her even more endearing. Carefully, Logan untangled himself from her body and changed to go out for a run. He knew that Rory wouldn't be up for a few more hours, but he left two Advil and a glass of water on her bedside table before he headed out the door.

Logan ran through Hudson River Park and enjoyed the brand new leaves on the trees. The weather was getting warmer but there was still a distinct chill in the air. He loved running because It cleared his head and allowed him to think clearly. He wanted to propose to Rory, but he couldn't figure out how. He wanted it to be completely opposite from what he did last time.

He ran south towards the esplanade. As he was running, he noticed the gorgeous view of the city from the esplanade and a thought started formulating in his head. Yes, he loved running and he knew exactly how he was going to propose.

Logan grabbed a couple of burritos to ward off their hangovers and headed home. If he was lucky, maybe he could get a few more hours of sleep curled up next to his girl.

Rory had packed up most of her apartment and Logan's movers were already on their way across country. Today as the day they were settling on their house. Logan was flying in from California, so it just left Rory to complete the final touches of getting her apartment in order before he came to grab her to head to the realtor's office. Noticing the time, Rory jumped in the shower and dressed in a black pencil skirt and white button-down blouse. She threw on a pair of black pumps and put mouse in her damp hair to shape the curl. She was putting the paperwork Logan had left with her in a file folder to slip in her bag when he walked in the door. He put his suitcase in the corner and smirked at her.

"You look like the sexiest fucking librarian I have ever seen," he said, clearly admiring the view. Rory blushed and playfully smacked him on the chest.

"How would you know? You never spent time in the library," she countered.

"Touche, Ace. Are you ready?"

Rory started walking out the door when Logan grabbed her hand and swung her back towards him. Placing a sound kiss on her lips, he whispered "how is it that you seem to get more beautiful every time I go away?"

"Oh now, we have a good 75 years ahead of us mister. If I reveal all of my secrets now, what mystery will be left for later?"

Logan laughed and positioned himself so that she could move past him into the hallway. Knowing he was watching her ass, she added an extra seductive swing to her hips as she made her way to the elevator. It had the desired effect and Rory chuckled as she heard his groan from down the hallway.

The fluorescent lights were too bright and the air felt stuffy in this room. Rory had a knot in her stomach as she watched Logan interact with the lawyer and his realtor. She wasn't even signing the papers and she felt like she was going to throw up. Never in her life had she imagined she would be living in a house that cost as much as theirs did. Logan seemed cool, calm and collected as he signed the papers and joked with the lawyer. If he was feeling any apprehension, he didn't show it. She knew however, that Logan was the one who would freak out later. He just seemed so relaxed as he signed the papers making himself personally liable to a multi-million dollar contract.

After the papers were signed, handshakes were exchanged and Logan had the keys, Logan and Rory walked the three blocks from the realtor's office to their new home. Walking through the front doors was just as exciting as it had been the first time. Logan wrapped his arms around Rory in the foyer, and they stood there, enjoying the feel of their new home. Tomorrow, they would need to get a locksmith . to change the locks, get the cable and gas turned on, and the movers would come with their things, but for tonight, they basked in the simple pleasure of knowing that this was their home

"Welcome home, Ace." Logan said. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him a little tighter, secure in the knowledge that they had many years of happy memories ahead of them.


	3. I Can See What's Coming

After work on the following Tuesday, Rory was cleaning the kitchen when her cell phone rang. "Hello," she answered, without looking at the caller ID. Her bangs fell into her eyes, and she brushed them out of her face with the back of her gloved hand.

"Rory! It's your grandmother." Rory was surprised to hear Emily's voice on the other end of the line.

"Hi Grandma. It's wonderful to hear from you. What can I do for you?"

"Well, your grandfather and I would like to throw you an engagement party. Would this be ok with you and Logan?"

Rory stopped scrubbing when Emily said "engagement party." "Well, sure, I guess that would be ok."

"Fantastic! We'll have it here, of course and it will be catered by Pasquale, and…"

Rory knew that if she was ever going to have control of her wedding, she would need to learn to stand up to Emily. She decided now would be the perfect time to start.

"Grandma," Rory cut her off. "What about having it here, at our house?"

"At YOUR house? I haven't even seen your house. Is it suitable?" Emily asked.

"Yes, I think it will be perfect. We can make it a housewarming and engagement party in one."

"Well, I'll have to see your house if I'm going to plan something. It really would be much easier to do it here."

"I understand and I appreciate your generosity," Rory said. "However, we have this beautiful new house and I'd like to show it off. I'm sure you understand."

"I'll have to be invited over to see what I have to work with," Emily said with a huff.

She knew they hadn't technically invited the Gilmores over yet, so she quickly thought of an excuse.

"Grandma, you have an open invitation," Rory said.

Knowing that her grandmother would never show up without a formal invitation, she continued "In fact, why don't you and Grandpa come over for dinner Saturday night and we'll go to a show. It's been ages since you've checked on the old place and I'd love to show you where I'm living now."

She could tell that Emily's interest was piqued. "Saturday?" she asked. "Well, I'll have to check our schedule."

"Check it and let me know what you think. Logan and I would love to have you over and we can discuss the venue of the engagement party then."

"Ok, I will let you know."

"Bye Grandma."

Rory hung up the phone and smiled. Round one, Rory Gilmore.

After she had finished cleaning, Rory sat down in the living room with a book. She was so engrossed in it, that she didn't hear Logan come home until he was sitting right beside her.

Logan walked into the house and called Rory's name. When he didn't get an answer, he climbed the stairs and saw her reading in the living room. He took a minute to study her. She really was beautiful. Her dark hair fell over her shoulder and her bright blue eyes flitted over the page. He didn't want to startle her, so he sat down on the other end of the couch. When she still didn't flinch, he spoke up.

"Hey there, book worm," he greeted.

"Logan!" she said, completely surprised by his sudden and quiet appearance. She leaned over to give him a kiss. "How was work today?"

"Work was good, Ace," he said, loosening his tie. "I had a very good day."

"Yeah? Tell me about it," she demanded. His earlier appreciation of her beauty had him wanting to touch her.

"Mmmm, I'd rather show you," he said leaning over to kiss her soundly on the mouth. He laid her back on the sofa and let his hands wander over her curves. She could feel him growing hard beneath her and suddenly, she wanted that friction. She lifted her hips to meet his and heard him groan at the contact.

"Fuck, Ace," he said sitting back up. He unbuckled his pants and let them fall to the floor with his boxers soon following. "Take off your pants," he demanded.

Rory did as she was told, taking off her yoga pants and panties. Logan hungrily looked at his fiancée. "This isn't going to be sweet or slow, Ace. This is going to hard and fast."

"Oh God, just fuck me already," she demanded.

Logan bent her over the arm of the couch and bent his body to fit with hers. From this vantage point, he could see all of her. He pushed his fingers into her glistening core. She cried out in ecstasy and his hand found a punishing rhythm. When she got close, Logan removed his fingers and held them up. She turned around and could see her moisture all over him. She watched in fascination as he licked his fingers, one at a time.

"Fuck, baby. That's hot."

His hands moved to her luscious breasts and he started kneading them, rolling her nipples with his fingers until they pebbled in his mouth. His hips were grinding against hers from behind, his hard cock slipping between her lips and teasing at her entrance while his lips were kissing a line down her spine. He decided to surprise her by slamming into her tight wet core. She cried out at the feeling of him filling her completely, loving the way he felt. She turned her head to look at him. He was watching her as he pulled out and slammed in again. The pleasure was too much for her to handle, so she closed her eyes and let out a loud moan. He continued his punishing rhythm until he felt her walls start to clench around him. He noticed the tell-tale blush start to creep up her body and knew she was close. He leaned over to pinch the sensitive bundle of nerves and she fell apart, loudly. He followed soon after.

He collapsed on the couch and motioned for her to follow him. She curled up next to him, both still trying to catch their breath.

"Wow. That was a nice surprise" she said.

Logan couldn't think yet, so he just pulled her closer.

When his brain started to form coherent thoughts again, he looked at her. "Do you want to order out for dinner?"

He collapsed on the couch and motioned for her to follow him. She curled up next to him, both still trying to catch their breath.

"Wow. That was a nice surprise" she said.

Logan couldn't think yet, so he just pulled her closer.

When his brain started to form coherent thoughts again, he looked at her. "Do you want to order out for dinner?"

"Yes, I'm too lazy to cook," she replied. He got up, still naked, and went into the kitchen where they kept their take-out menus. Grabbing two of her favorites, he walked back into the living room.

"Vietnamese or Indian?" he asked.

After they had ordered their dinner and cleaned up from their escapade, they settled together on the couch to chat about their days.

After Logan told Rory about a very successful acquisition he had made, and in turn, she told him about her grandmother's call. She explained her idea to throw the engagement party and house warming party together in New York. Logan grimaced thinking about Emily taking over their house, but he didn't want to start a war. He could see this turning into a huge issue around their wedding. Emily was assertive and Rory wanted to please her grandmother. He knew Rory was trying to take control, so for the sake of gentleness, he decided to take a different route to argue his side.

"Ace, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" she questioned.

"First, let's look at the guest list. They're going to invite a hundred people. I know our home is big for New York City, but we can't fit 100 people in here."

Rory thought logically about his point and realized that he was right. The house was perfect for 20 or 30 people, but it would be a tight fit for more than that.

Logan continued "It might be better to let them throw their engagement party, and we can throw a smaller house warming party for our close friends. Something more intimate, and much more relaxed."

"So, we'll host the sub party, just on a different day," she mused.

"Yes, exactly," he responded. "And this way it can be informal…"

"…and fun?" she finished for him. The doorbell rang signaling their dinner had arrived. Logan went downstairs to get the food while Rory laid plates and silverware out on the kitchen island.

As they ate, Rory continued telling Logan about her conversation with her grandmother .

"I did invite my grandparents over for dinner this weekend," she told him. "They haven't seen the place and my grandmother is subtly reminding me that I'm unappreciative and rude."

Logan was quiet for a moment, something that did not go unnoticed by his fiancé.

"What are you thinking?"

"I have to go to California next week," Logan told her. "My plane leaves on Sunday. I had planned to ravish you for the entire weekend before I leave and then ravish you the entire weekend when I get back."

"You have to go?" Rory pouted.

"Ace, I haven't been back in 2 months. They're beginning to think I walked out on the company."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I come back Friday," he answered.

"Oh, well, I can reschedule with my grandparents," she offered.

Logan kissed her forehead. "No. Emily is right, we've waited too long to invite them over. Saturday we can share with the Gilmores, but Friday night, I want you all to myself."

"A week is such a long time," she mused, thinking about how they hadn't been apart for even a day since they moved in together.

"They say absence makes the heart grow fonder," he replied with a smirk, earning a playful smack on the chest from her.

"I don't want to be away from you anymore than you want me to be away, Ace."

Rory realized she was being a baby. Of course he had to go. He was the CEO of a very successful business and he hadn't been back in weeks.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know you have to go. I shouldn't make you feel guilty about it."

Logan was trying to think of a way to make the separation easier on both of them. Although he was looking forward to going back to California, he was going to miss Rory terribly. Yes, it was only 5 days, but it was going to be difficult for both of them. They had survived worse, like the terrible London months, and being apart for most of the winter, but they hadn't shared their lives so much then. He remembered the phone call to Roger telling him about the engagement and had a brainstorm.

"Listen, Roger and Paul wanted to get together for a weekend in Napa. Do you think you could take a day off? You can fly out Friday, we can celebrate our engagement with my friends and come back Monday. How does that sound?"

Rory dreamed of herself in Napa. It sounded wonderful to be drinking wine with her fiancé and getting to know his friends better.

"Let's do it," she said excitedly.

"Great," he replied. "I'll set it up."

* * *

It turned out that even on such short notice, Roger, Paul and their wives were available that weekend. They offered to set up the weekend, and both Rory and Logan happily agreed, knowing they would have their hands full with getting ready for the Gilmores.

Friday night, Logan took Rory to dinner and then to Shakespeare in the Park. They enjoyed a lovely viewing of Hamlet and debated the title character's psychological health over cheesecake at Two Little Red Hens.

Saturday night, the Gilmores arrived promptly at 5:00. Rory was getting much better at cooking, especially with Logan's help, but they had decided that Logan would be the one to cook this meal since it was important and he was the better cook. Logan made chicken cordon bleu with roasted red potatoes and grilled asparagus. He was putting the finishing touches on the meal when the Gilmore's arrived. He plated the meal in their in-kitchen dining area while Rory gave the elder couple a tour. Logan stepped back to admire the touches he and Rory had put on the area where they would be dining. The floor to ceiling windows were open and the white chiffon curtains were blowing softly in the breeze. Rory had picked up hydrangeas in shades of blue and pink for the centerpiece. They were using the serving ware Shira had sent him out of the blue when he moved to California. He was sure Emily would notice the small touches.

Emily was very impressed with the home and made sure she let the younger couple know. She openly admired everything, from the furniture to the wall sconces to the wall paper.

"Rory, I am just so happy that you did not inherit your mother's decorating sense," Emily said once they were seated and eating.

"Well…."Logan started.

"Do not finish that thought," Rory warned him playfully.

"Are we to assume that there were some disagreements when picking out the furniture?" Richard asked jovially.

"Let's just say that if Rory had gotten her way, you would be sitting on electric blue chairs shaped like frogs," Logan laughed. The rest of the table laughed with him.

"You are in so much trouble," she said with a smile. Turning to the older couple, then to Logan, she said "It wasn't that bad. I wasn't that bad."

"We almost broke up over a winged chair. I thought she wanted a nice, leather chair. Turns out, she wanted a chair with actual wings. Feathers and all," he said, looking at her.

"Oh , Rory, not you too," Emily chastised, remembering her disagreement with Lorelai over a monkey lamp. "Well, Logan, we are lucky that your decorating sense obviously won out. The place looks amazing. Professional! Doesn't it look professional, Richard?" Emily asked.

"Very professional," Richard agreed.

"I think it would be a lovely place to host a small engagement party," Emily said.

"Actually Grandma," Rory started, "Logan and I discussed it and we think your house would be a better place for the formal engagement party."

Emily let out an audible sigh of relief. "Oh thank god," she said. "Logan, Rory, your home is lovely, but it's just not big enough to accommodate all of your guests."

"That's what I told her, Emily," Logan affirmed. He reached over to grab Rory's hand, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the elder couple. "We appreciate your generous offer of giving us an engagement party and we think your home would be the perfect venue. We may host a less formal gathering at a later date for just family and close friends, but we would like it if you could plan the actual engagement party."

"Wonderful. I will start on this right away," Emily said. "Should I include your mother in the planning, Logan?"

"No," he said without thinking. Rory squeezed his hand and looked at him. They shared a silent conversation before Rory spoke.

"Shira might be receptive to helping you plan, Grandma." Emily noticed the look that passed between the couple as well as the deliberate words Rory had chosen. She knew nothing of the reception the couple received when they told the Huntzbergers about the engagement. She knew it would be rude to ask outright, so instead, she would grill Lorelai for clues about what transpired.

"Well, that will be wonderful," Richard stated.

The two couples finished dinner and hurried to make their play. Rory had gotten tickets to see Billy Elliot, the hottest musical on Broadway. All four of them enjoyed the show. After it was over, Emily and Richard went to Rory's old apartment to stay, and Rory and Logan went home.

Rory was sad to know that the evening was over because it meant that Logan would be leaving soon. When they got back to the house, Logan immediately kissed her. He took her upstairs to their bedroom and made love to her. He wanted to show her just how much he was going to miss her. They didn't speak words, but their bodies communicated their love and need for each other. They made love until the sun was peeking through the shades in their bedroom when Rory curled up to Logan to catch a few of hours of sleep.

When they woke up a couple hours later, they both scrambled to get Logan ready for his 2:00 flight. He had dinner with investors that night so he had to get there early.

When the cab came, Rory walked him to the door. He took her face in between his hands and kissed her.

"I'll never forget you, Ace," he deadpanned. It made her smile which was his goal.

"Shut up," she said. "Get out of here. My boyfriend will be here any minute."

He kissed her again. "I'll see you in five days."

"Call me lots," she demanded.

"Of course. I love you, Ace."

"Love you too," she replied.

Rory watched him walk down the stairs and get into the cab. She tried to remember what she did when they didn't live together. She threw on her running shoes and headed for the park, attempting to drown out her melancholy with peppy workout music.


End file.
